By JULIE WATSON
SAN DIEGO — Nearly two years ago, a California parole board voted to free Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin, but the decision was later overturned by the governor.
Sirhan Sirhan will once again appear before the board Wednesday at a hearing at a federal prison in San Diego County to ask to be let out.
Sirhan’s younger brother, Munir Sirhan, has said his brother can live with him in Pasadena if he is paroled. Sirhan has waived his right to fight deportation to his native Jordan.
Even if the board rules that Sirhan is suitable for release a second time, his lawyer, Angela Berry, said she doesn’t expect it to change Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mind because of his “affinity for R.F. Kennedy,” who Newsom has cited as a political hero.
That’s why she said she’s also turning to the courts. The parole board hearing comes nearly six months after Berry asked a Los Angeles County judge to reverse Newsom’s denial. The case is ongoing.
Newsom rejected Sirhan’s freedom in 2022, saying that he remains a threat to the public and hasn’t taken responsibility for a crime that changed American history.
Berry has said the 78-year-old man, who has spent more than 54 years in prison, is not a danger to society and should be released. She said that will be the main point she and Sirhan will make to the board, again.
“They found him suitable for release last time and nothing has changed,” Berry said. “He’s continued to show great behavior.”
In a 3 1/2-minute message played during a news conference held by Berry in September, Sirhan said he feels remorse every day for his actions. It was the first time Sirhan’s voice had been heard publicly since a televised parole hearing in 2011, before California barred audio or visual recordings of such proceedings.
“To transform this weight into something positive, I have dedicated my life to self-improvement, the mentoring of others in prison on how to live a peaceful life that revolves around…
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